Day 49: Role-Reversal

Today I visited the friend I spoke about in this post, whose surgery was successful, but an all-around painful episode.  In a strange and fateful role-reversal, I was now visiting a recovering friend who had just had a miserable surgery and could barely speak.  We compared our varying experiences with surgery and determined that we were both terribly unprepared for the aftermath.  In her case, the surgeons had to remove a considerable amount more than they originally intended because the cancer was beginning to spread.  I, as well as everyone else who cares about her, vigorously hope that this is an isolated instance that will not resurface in her future. Nevertheless, she still has to undergo treatment and take medication for the rest of her life.  What a strange cosmic coincidence, I keep thinking, that I'm wrapping up the tail end of my recovery and she is just beginning hers.  My role in life's peculiar play has now transitioned from the pitied patient to the supportive friend.  Gaining so much perspective!